Family Law

Clients who are going through a separation often ask me whether it is OK to move out of the matrimonial home before all the issues arising out of their separation have been resolved. Sometimes tensions are high and the client believes some physical distance is required in order to keep the p…

There are many misunderstandings about who is a “common law spouse” in Ontario, and what exactly this means. Many people believe that if they are in a common law relationship they have all the same rights that a married spouse has, when in reality they do not. The purpose of this article is …

If you are a step-father or step-mother and your spousal relationship breaks down, you may be obligated to pay child support to your former spouse for the support of your step-child. In this article Nadine Russell looks at some of the factors the courts will consider when deciding whether or…

It is increasingly common in family law litigation for text messages to be introduced as evidence. This can happen when two parties have had a relationship breakdown and the conversations have taken a negative tone. In this article Nadine Russell takes a look at the recent Ontario Superior C…

Often I hear the term bandied about by people who are separated that they need to get a “legal separation”. This term is a misnomer. In our statutes which govern separation and divorce there is no such term. A couple is separated when at least of one of them have expressed their intention to…

Nadine Russell discusses the precedent and possibilities of the unfortunate circumstance of an ended engagement and what happens to the ring.Once upon a time, a man knelt down on one knee, presented a shiny diamond ring to his girlfriend and uttered the famous words “Will you marry me?”  Wit…